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She’ll Settle It

Document Type

Article

Language

English (en)

Publication Date

2013

Publication Title

Journal of Law and Courts

Abstract

Relying on research that posits that female leaders and managers will be more likely than men to adopt a management style that favors participation, collaboration, and consensus building, I argue that female district court judges, using this style in their case management environments, should be more likely than their male colleagues to successfully foster intracourt case settlements. To test this, I compile data from nearly 18,000 civil rights and tort cases terminated in four federal district courts across 9 years. The regression and duration analyses provide confirmation that the sex of a case’s assigned judge matters, with female judges successfully fostering settlement in their cases more often and more quickly than their male colleagues. In addition to having significance for litigants, these findings have broad implications for female decision makers across different institutions and organizations as well as the future of the judging profession and diversity appointments to the judiciary.

Keywords

Judicial Behavior, Gender and Courts, Case Management, Federal District Courts, Settlement, Civil Rights, Tort Law

Publication Citation

Christina L. Boyd, She’ll Settle It, 1 J.L. & Cts. 193 (2013)

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